Wines of Portugal International Conference: A Country’s Struggle to Amplify Their Message Internationally

Recently, we experienced Portugal’s first attempt at an international wine conference with “The Wines of Portugal International Conference” in Oporto. Presented by ViniPortugal – the Portuguese wine trade association devoted to promoting Portuguese wines – this three day conference was held in the austere and historical Alfandega do Porto, a former customs building constructed in 1859, by the French architect Jean F. G. Colson. Approximately 450 participants gathered in Oporto, 200 of which traveled from numerous countries including: US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, China and Japan. Along with hearing from internationally renowned wine industry leaders, the program allowed for several wine tastings both at the principle Wine Fair and at several guided tastings outside of the main building. Side trips included visits to a handful of Vinho Verde producers, including Quinta da Aveleda and Afros, along with a tour with the largest cork producer in the world, Amorim.

This year’s conference pitched a controversial and highly charged theme, Touriga Nacional, defended as Portugal’s prized grape that should be both preserved and marketed internationally. During the preliminary conference program, a panel of expert judges including Jancis Robinson and Doug Frost MS MW, gathered in Portugal’s first ever luxury wine hotel, The Yeatman, to select the Top 10 Touriga Nacional wines from 7 different countries. According to Jancis, the final results had an interesting twist: “when it came to announcing the final Top 10 Tourigas, which for political reasons could not be ranked, the ten had suddenly morphed into 12, because, we were told, 3 wines gained exactly the same number of points.” Read Jancis’ entire rant and perspective on the wines here: http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201012162.html

The WoPIC Conference officially opened on Friday, Dec. 10th with a warm welcome by ViniPortugal’s President, Francisco Borba, followed by Secretary of Commerce Fernando Serrasqueiro and Agriculture Minister António Serrano, both of whom spoke passionately about the rapid increase in exports, highlighting the warm reception to Portuguese wines internationally. Portuguese wine’s influence on both development and culture was highlighted in relationship to the rest of the world, emphasized by Portugal stepping up as a “player” in the Global Top 10 Wine sector. To prove their points, an incredibly well produced video from the Turismo de Portugal was shown called, “Taste Portugal”, which beautifully highlighted the intersection between Portuguese gastronomy, agriculture, tourism and culture.

Participants also received an overview of Wines of Portugal in the Wine Industry from speakers José Bento dos Santos and Charles Metcalfe. Santos, a winemaker and renowned Portuguese wine and food writer, gave an inspiring lecture on the vast and diverse wines of Portugal; while UK wine critic and Portuguese wine author, Charles Metcalfe followed with this same sentiment in “Wines of Portugal- a view from overseas”. Unfortunately, the audience came to a united understanding that, according to Charles Metcalfe, “In this noisy world, Portugal’s quiet message is overwhelmed by most of the others.” So what can Portugal do to get louder? “One of the ways to overcome this is for all of Portugal’s sectors to work together – wine, gastronomy, sports, tourism and so on.” And since most UK tourists think of “golf and beaches” when asked about Portugal, due to the popularity of the Algarve as a vacation spot, it was suggested that ViniPortugal’s tasting room, Sala Ogival, should open in popular tourism locations across Portugal. The last piece of advice for Portugal was, “Keep telling the world about your grapes, otherwise, these star varietals [such as Touriga Nacional among 300 others) will never be known.”

Jancis Robinson cautioned the Portuguese wine industry to avoid over thinking or over complicating the promotion of their region in her session, Wines of Portugal Challenges and Opportunities. By simply promoting Portuguese wine through its vast culinary landscape, wine sales would increase. However, if we don’t find English speakers willing to communicate Portugal’s gastronomic message, Jancis feared that it would forever remain in niche markets, as opposed to a worldwide brand.

We heard three different perspectives on how Portuguese wines are being covered by International Media from Kristine Baeder, Meininger – Germany, Elin McCoy, Bloomberg – USA and Simon Tam, Independent Wine Center – China. Baeder pitched a convincing argument on how Meininger has done some impressive layouts and reports on Portuguese wine in recent years, suggesting that Portuguese wine continues to grow in popularity among the Germans. On the other hand, Elin McCoy lamented that “Portuguese wines still don’t resonate much with US consumers,” but at the very least, they are “generally seen as great value wines”. It was said that even though most people have the belief that wines featured in Wine Spectator are the ones that get noticed, in truth, “only 5% of US wine consumers actually read magazines like Wine Spectator. 5%! While Bloomburg reaches millions of consumers.” And with future wine consumers being the younger generation, and women in general who are more open-minded in their wine selection and seek out international wines, Elin pointed out that the first place they look for information is on winery websites. However, she fears the perpetual lack of distribution across the country, “So many consumers read about Portuguese wine online and get excited about it but have become increasingly frustrated that they can’t find them anywhere to buy near their home……I can’t write about a wine if it’s not available on the (US) market.” If and when distribution does finally come up to par in the USA, Elin stresses that it’s the winery websites with accurate information, bottle shots and a compelling personal story about the wine itself that will be the ones who will reap the rewards.

To conclude the session, Simon Tam brought an interesting and entertaining look at how long engrained stereotypes about China are inhibiting the industry from reaching their consumer base to promote Portuguese wines. “Do you want to sell wine to China or to the Chinese?” he debated, showing three photos of three very different Chinese consumers, from the rural pig farmer to the average middle class family, ending with a young, affluent Chinese woman who has both studied and worked oversea – to which he suggested that the young woman would be the key market for any wine producer. He followed this argument with a photo of a case of wine designed specifically with the “Chinese consumer”. Highlighting the bright splashes of gold and red, and adorned with dragons, Simon remarked, “I’ve lived in China a long time and I’ve never seen a dragon in my life!”; suggesting that the ever present cliché continually gets in the way of successful marketing. “Don’t stereotype, and you’ll go much farther in promoting your wines to consumers.”

Catavino’s very own Ryan Opaz led a roundtable entitled “The Internet Wine Revolution”, along with speakers Louise Hurren, Joe Roberts, Robert McIntosh, Neal Martin and Andre Ribeirinho. We’ll be posting more information about this topic in the near future, but the main thrust of the argument pertained to the absolute need for Portuguese producers to get online, and the longer they stall, the worst off they’ll be in getting their product to the outside world.

The remainder of the conference was filled with various Portuguese wine tastings, including a tasting on whether Touriga Nacional should be blended or tasted alone. Hosted by Michael Weiss, Wine Professor at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Weiss selected 8 different red wines that contained various amounts of Touriga Nacional, from the Alentejo, Bairrada, Dão and Douro. Having more than twenty years in wine education, Weiss demonstrated his teaching ability by using Power Point slides of maps of each region with the general facts about the region’s climate, soil and common grape varieties to help participants understand each wine’s background clearly. He also brought some of the notable winemakers of the wines tasted, such as his good friend Luis Pato of Luis Pato winery from Bairrada, who not only talked about the little details of his own wine(s) but the details of the region he worked in. At the end of the tasting, Michael Weiss admitted that he believed Touriga Nacional showed well in both blends and by itself and they were all intriguing in their own way.

So what would be nice to see improved upon for next year’s conference? Well, for the wineries sake who participated in the wine fair, perhaps a better ratio of wineries to participants to make it doable for the amount of people attending. I found that there were far too many wineries to visit and explore! Additionally, I wish that there was more communication about the program during the conference for people to easily confirm what they want to attend and when. There were several times when participants tried to glean information from one another, but unfortunately, it led to the blind leading the blind. However, the conference presented extremely well for a first run and showed great potential for only getting even better in the coming years.

Andrea Smith

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This team is first class, they are knowledgeable of all areas of wine, and the Douro. If you are looking for something to do when in Porto I cant recommend their tours enough - first class.
Many places here say they offer the authentic version of Porto, but rarely do - these tours go into places that others don't, they bust the myths of wine, Port and give you the real insights, show you the faces behind the wine.
The tours offered here give you something that is unique, filled with passion and love for this wonderful city and surrounding areas.

Anita Breland

13:51 19 Sep 17

Looking to enjoy a great excursion through some of the world's most beautiful vineyards? Our group's tour off the beaten path with Catavino was a carefree day of discovery in fine company, and with memorable food and wine. A big plus was an opportunity to spend time with a winemaker happy to share his family story, expertise and excellent wine. I cannot think of a better way to experience the authentic Douro!

Cornell Anderson

11:23 04 Oct 17

We just completed a Fall Harvest tour that was organized and led by Catavino Tours. The entire experience was wonderful and met all of our expectations. The tour included several days in and near Lisbon, and then five days in Porto and the wineries and vineyards along the Douro River. All aspects of the tour were planned to provide an exceptional experience for our group of eleven friends. Our tour guide, Ryan Opaz, was extremely knowledgeable about the wines, the Quintas, the history of Port and Portuguese table wine and the country of Portugal. Finally, the food was amazing and included several dinners and lunches with wine makers who were personally know by Ryan. The tour and experience could not have been better!

Julie Dawn Fox

14:18 21 Sep 17

Just spent a wonderful day in the Douro wine region with the Catavino team and a local winemaker. We had breathtaking views of a side of the Douro that most visitors don't get to see, knowledgeable explanations of the grapes, wines and processes and of course, delicious table and port wines, some poured straight from the barrel. The highlight of the day was the chance to join the Purple Foot Club by treading grapes in stone tanks.

Flavio Bastos Amiel

09:53 19 Sep 17

Yesterday we had the chance to visit a few places in the Douro with Catavino. We had the chance to meet one very young producer (Oscar Quevedo: thanks!) who did a complete tour through one of his vineyards and educated us on the different types of grapes the Douro has to offer and how the wine in this winery is made. The highlight was a great food experience in the winery while staring at the amazing Douro landscape, while sipping whites, red and port wine from the same house. Thanks!!

Tom Fakler

09:26 15 Nov 17

Outstanding day trip from Porto with Catavino!
We spent a day off the beaten path in the Douro wine region and its spectacular scenery. We visited a winery where the vintner gave us the most authentic and informative tour of the vineyards and wine cellar we have had. We tasted this year’s new wine and port from a 10,000-liter cask. We had a gourmet lunch with wines perfectly paired.
Our tour was in the harvest season and we were able to participate in the traditional stomping of grapes in a granite lagar. It was a fun time for all!
Catavino and team know the area and vintners well, and this made our day truly special.

David Waldschmidt

15:35 15 Oct 17

My wife and I had a first rate experience touring the wine country in Portugal. Catavino Tours organized the trip for us and friends. The tour was organized down to the most specific details permitting us an experience unencumbered with worry or stress. Best of all, Catavino is extremely well versed in the wine business, the wine country and the people behind the wineries. As a result, we were treated to experiences and face to face interactions that we would never have had on our own or with someone less tied into the art of making wine.

Penedes Wine Tour

About Andrea Smith

Andrea moved to Campo de Ourique, Lisbon, in early 2008 with a dream to work and learn more about Portuguese wine. Born in Northern Virginia in 1983, Andrea's Italian family taught her the importance of pairing fresh food with great wine, eventually motivating her to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she earned an Associates and Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts and Business Management, as well as her Introductory Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004. Andrea uses her love of culture, gastronomy and language to research the hidden recipes and wines of Portugal.

Facebook Reviews

What an amazing trip with a fantastic group of people. It was an education about wine we couldn't have experienced anywhere else. Our guide, Ryan Opaz, was extremely knowledgable and brought great enthusiasm to the experience.

Fantastic tour of the Portugal wine country organized and conducted by the Catavino team. Echoing the comments of the previous reviews below, my wife and I experienced one memorable experience topped each day by the next memorable experience. A week of friendship, learning and interacting all in an environment that was stimulating and stress free. Kudos to Catavino for a wonderful and supremely well organized trip.

Having recently completed Catavino's 2017 Custom Harvest Tour, I am still basking in the afterglow of a full week of cushy hotels, beautiful landscapes, long, succulent dinners highlighting the depth of Portuguese cuisine, and, of course, the spectacular wines from the best regions of Portugal. Catavino has crafted a harvest experience that uniquely capitalizes on Ryan's personal relationships with some of Portugal's preeminent winemakers. This allows us into their cellars for intimate tastings and onto their terraces for wonderful lunches personally hosted by the owners and winemakers. It is a wonderful learning experience for novices and wine geeks alike. Ryan is a great host, and his knowledge and insights add immensely to the experience. This was my second Harvest Tour with Catavino and they continue to deliver a very satisfying week of Portuguese culture, food and wine. A short review can't do justice to a week long trip. I highly recommend that you sign on to one of their trips and find out for yourself!

Our Fall Harvest trip through the Douro valley led by Ryan Opaz and organized by the talented team at Catavino was truly a once in a lifetime experience (well maybe twice)! This was an ongoing visual and sensory experience from start to finish with several “pinch yourself” moments along the way. Like most learning experiences I feel like I’ve retained a fraction of what I learned about the wines and cuisine or Portugal. I guess that’s a reason to do it again

We just completed a Fall Harvest tour that was organized and led by Catavino Tours. The entire experience was wonderful and met all of our expectations. The tour included several days in and near Lisbon, and then five days in Porto and the wineries and vineyards along the Douro River. All aspects of the tour were planned to provide an exceptional experience for our group of eleven friends. Our tour guide, Ryan Opaz, was extremely knowledgeable about the wines, the Quintas, the history of Port and Portuguese table wine and the country of Portugal. Finally, the food was amazing and included several dinners and lunches with wine makers who were personally know by Ryan. The tour and experience could not have been better!

The Catavino team is world class. A tour with them is guaranteed to be something that you won't forget.
They show you a true picture of what goes on, busting myths about the wine and port industry to show you the real side of Douro. Their level of knowledge is incredible, and we had access to wine tasting, grape stomping and meet the faces behind the wine industry. I can't even begin to describe the amazing lunch at the farm, overlooking the most spectacular views that only the Douro provides - breath taking!!
It is guaranteed to be filled with passion and love, leaving you with a yearning to come back time and time again.
Can't recommend this enough.

My husband and I had a wonderful day on a private tour with Ryan throughout the Douro Valley. He is extremely knowledgeable and helped us learn to appreciate Port. Beyond the wonderful private tasting sessions, he also brought us to a delicious lunch at a local Portuguese restaurant. Throughout the entire day, he provided us with tips and recommendations for the remainder of our journey throughout Portugal. The whole day was the highlight of our trip! We would HIGHLY recommend it!

Incredible experience in a beautiful city. Mariana was an amazing guide - we learned so much, sampled some amazing food, and had fun doing it. Two couples were with our 15- and 17-month-old boys and we never felt rushed or out of place. Highly recommend!

Ana arranged a trip for my client through Portugal. My client is a single woman traveling alone and she had the time of her life! I felt very good about having her in Catavino's hands. Thank you for introducing her to Portugal in such a wonderful manner.

I can only second the comments written here. Catavino is highly professional and will stop at nothing to give you an incredible, unforgettable time. All the biggest highlights from my recent trip to Portugal and Spain were made possible by Catavino. I know how much work goes into it- thank you so much Ryan and team. I'd trust you with my holidays any time.

We were part of the 2016 Harvest Tour and had the experience of a lifetime! The Douro Valley is breathtakingly beautiful and our guides were wonderful. Ryan and Gabriella must have called in all of their personal favors because we met and drank wine with many winemakers, a wine shop owner and tasted '72 port which Oscar Quevedo's grandfather had made. Doesn't get any more special than that! Of course, gourmet food at every meal as well. We'll be back!!

When there were hiccups in the itinerary; Catavino was nothing but gracious. They understood what our visit meant to us & offered us fantastic guides & activities. We ooh'ed & aah'ed, ate & drank almost too well (!) & we laughed for days. Deep thanks.

No enough words, even for a wordsmith like me, to say how wonderful it was spending time with Gabriella and Ryan. Our tour with Ryan as our guide to the Douro Valley was spectacular. Excellent wines, wonderful views, terrific people and a delightful lunch topped off with a lovely boat ride. Highly recommended!!

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Google Reviews

This team is first class, they are knowledgeable of all areas of wine, and the Douro. If you are looking for something to do when in Porto I cant recommend their tours enough - first class.
Many places here say they offer the authentic version of Porto, but rarely do - these tours go into places that others don't, they bust the myths of wine, Port and give you the real insights, show you the faces behind the wine.
The tours offered here give you something that is unique, filled with passion and love for this wonderful city and surrounding areas.

Anita Breland

13:51 19 Sep 17

Looking to enjoy a great excursion through some of the world's most beautiful vineyards? Our group's tour off the beaten path with Catavino was a carefree day of discovery in fine company, and with memorable food and wine. A big plus was an opportunity to spend time with a winemaker happy to share his family story, expertise and excellent wine. I cannot think of a better way to experience the authentic Douro!

Cornell Anderson

11:23 04 Oct 17

We just completed a Fall Harvest tour that was organized and led by Catavino Tours. The entire experience was wonderful and met all of our expectations. The tour included several days in and near Lisbon, and then five days in Porto and the wineries and vineyards along the Douro River. All aspects of the tour were planned to provide an exceptional experience for our group of eleven friends. Our tour guide, Ryan Opaz, was extremely knowledgeable about the wines, the Quintas, the history of Port and Portuguese table wine and the country of Portugal. Finally, the food was amazing and included several dinners and lunches with wine makers who were personally know by Ryan. The tour and experience could not have been better!

Julie Dawn Fox

14:18 21 Sep 17

Just spent a wonderful day in the Douro wine region with the Catavino team and a local winemaker. We had breathtaking views of a side of the Douro that most visitors don't get to see, knowledgeable explanations of the grapes, wines and processes and of course, delicious table and port wines, some poured straight from the barrel. The highlight of the day was the chance to join the Purple Foot Club by treading grapes in stone tanks.

Flavio Bastos Amiel

09:53 19 Sep 17

Yesterday we had the chance to visit a few places in the Douro with Catavino. We had the chance to meet one very young producer (Oscar Quevedo: thanks!) who did a complete tour through one of his vineyards and educated us on the different types of grapes the Douro has to offer and how the wine in this winery is made. The highlight was a great food experience in the winery while staring at the amazing Douro landscape, while sipping whites, red and port wine from the same house. Thanks!!

Tom Fakler

09:26 15 Nov 17

Outstanding day trip from Porto with Catavino!
We spent a day off the beaten path in the Douro wine region and its spectacular scenery. We visited a winery where the vintner gave us the most authentic and informative tour of the vineyards and wine cellar we have had. We tasted this year’s new wine and port from a 10,000-liter cask. We had a gourmet lunch with wines perfectly paired.
Our tour was in the harvest season and we were able to participate in the traditional stomping of grapes in a granite lagar. It was a fun time for all!
Catavino and team know the area and vintners well, and this made our day truly special.

David Waldschmidt

15:35 15 Oct 17

My wife and I had a first rate experience touring the wine country in Portugal. Catavino Tours organized the trip for us and friends. The tour was organized down to the most specific details permitting us an experience unencumbered with worry or stress. Best of all, Catavino is extremely well versed in the wine business, the wine country and the people behind the wineries. As a result, we were treated to experiences and face to face interactions that we would never have had on our own or with someone less tied into the art of making wine.